Slitting mechanism for printing machines



Oct.'16,'1934. WQKJECKHARD 1,977,566

SLITTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Ma rch 15, 19334Sheets-Shee t 1 INVENTOR. WJK /J -Q Oct. 16, 1934. w K E KHARD L1,977,566

SLITTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 15, 1933 4Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. mmauafl Oct. 16, 1934.

W. K. ECKHARD SLITTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed March 15, 1933 INVENTOR. MQJKL/QQ V m mhlflmlolal,

1934- w. K. ECKHARD SLITTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES 4Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Filed March 15, 1933 Patented Oct. 16, 1934 PATTSLITTING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING -MACHINES William K. Eckhard, Dunellen,N. J., assignor to Irving Trust Company, temporary trustee of R. Hoe &00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a'corporation of New York Application March15,

14 Claims.

This invention broadly relates to printing machines and moreparticularly to a novel means and method for slitting sheets after beingprinted and while being conveyed from the printing mechanism to deliveryapparatus associated with the conveying mechanism of the printing "ma.-chine.

Heretofore large sheets have been printed and v slit immediately afterprinting and before same are removed from the impression cylinder. It isa well-known fact that the continuous production of paper dust orsediment which is occasioned by' slitting the sheets in accordance withthe method and means heretofore employed will to a greater or lessextent be conveyed to the printing plate, resulting in a blurring of theprinting sheet considerably detracting from the clearness of theprinting on same. By the present method and means no paper dust orsediment can find its way to the plate cylinder or the parts immediatelyassociated with the printing mechanism, and as a consequence a printedproduct of clear definition and high quality may be produced, while theusual delays, hitherto encountered, occasioned by the necessity offrequently removing the abovereferred to. paper dust, are obviated.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the kindindicated, which may be incorporated in a printing machine so thatsheets may be slit at a point remote irom the printing cylinders insteadof immediately adjacent thereto.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a sheet slittingmechanism of. generally improved construction, whereby the device willbe simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well asconvenient, practical, serviceable and efiicient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement ofv parts, and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed,- it being understood that various changes in theprecise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made withinthe scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The preferred embodiment ofthe invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 is a general View of a printingmachine in which the slitting mechanism that is the sub.- ject of theinvention is incorporated;

Figure 2 is a plan view partly in section and with parts broken awayshowing the slitting 1933, Serial No. 660,813

mechanism and means for supporting it, as seen in the direction of arrow2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View showing certain parts of theslitting mechanism, as seen on the line 3 3 and in the direction ofarrow 3 of Figure 2;

igure 4 is a side View showing certain details of the slitting mechanismas seen in the direction of arrow 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an elevational View, partly in section showing details ofthe driving means for the slitting mechanism as seen in the directionofarrow 5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a detail view of one of the supports for the slitter driveshaft as seen in the direction of arrow 6 of Figure 2; V

Figure 7 is an elevational View, partly in section showing the slitterhead and its driving mechanismas seen on the broken line 7-7 and in thedirection of arrow '7 of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a detail plan View of the upper slitte guide; Y 7 i Figure,9 is a detail plan view of the lower slitter guide;

Figure 10 is an elevational view of the slitter head, as seen in thedirection of arrowlO of Figure 7; and t Figure 11 is a sectional Viewshowing the bracket supporting the slitter adjusting shaft and alsoshowing asection of the adjusting mechanism as taken on'the line and asseen in the direction of arrow-l1 of Figure 3. V

In the drawings the numeral 18 designates a sheet feeder of conventionaltype for feeding and conveying sheets to printing mechanism indicated at19, and including the customary plate-impression and deliverycylinders21, 22 and 23 respectively; The printing mechanism 19 is also pro--vided with sheet conveying mechanism 24 adapted to carry sheets to adelivery pile 25. The above-mentioned details are well-known in the artand form no part of the present invention.

Ccactingly associated with the conveyor mechanism and suitably mountedon a frame 26 whereon the printing mechanism and sheet conveyormechanism 24 is secured, is a slitting assembly indicated generally inFigure 1, at 27 and forming in combination with the said conveyormechanism the principal feature of the present invention.

The sheet slitting assembly 27 includes a slitter wheel or disk 28 whichis secured by a collar 29 to one end of a shaft 31, supported in abearing housing 32.

- A gear 33 is secured on the shaft 31 adjacent to the bearing housing32. The gear 33 meshes with an intermediate gear freely rotatable on astud. 36 and operatively engaged with a driven gear 37 slidably keyed toor splined on a sleeve 38 rotatably mounted in bearing brackets 39, 40fastened to the frame 26. Within the sleeve 38, a shaft 41 is slidablyarranged, one end of the said shaft 41 being fastened in any suitablemanner as by the screw 42 to a bracket 43 which is slidably supported onstud 36 and on a second stud 44. The studs 36 and 44 are provided withreduced ends which pass through portions of the bracket 40, the bracket40 being fastened to the said studs 36, 44 by nuts 45 and 46. Thesestuds 36 and 44, as will be seen hereinafter, provide a means on whichthe bracket 43 is slidably mounted.

The plate or member 47 is adjustably secured to the bracket 43 by meansof screws 48 which are received in. slots 49 formed in the bracket 43.To the plate 47 there is secured by screws 50 the bearing housing 32referred to above, wherein the slitter disk shaft 31 is rotatablymounted. On the bearing housing 32 a plate 51 is secured, the plate 51serving as a support for a lower slitter guide 51' which coacts with anupper slitter abutment or guide 52 fastened by screws 53 to a plate orplow 54 which is secured to the member 47.

By inspection of Figure 7, it will be seen that enlarged holes or slots54' are provided in a portion of thebearinghousing 32 whereby when thescrews 50 are loosened, an adjustment of the said housing 32 relativelyto the member 47 may be effected. As a consequence, the parts connectedto housing 32 which include the lower slitter guide 51', the slitterdisk 23 and other elements associated therewith may be adjusted withoutdisturbing the relation of the plate 47 relatively to the bracket 43. Ifdesired, however, the said plate 47 and the assembly fastened theretoincluding the bearing bracket 32, shaft 31, gear 33, cutter disk 28,plow 54 and upper slitter guide 52 may be adjusted as a unit. It willnow be seen that if it is desired to deliver the sheets without slittingsame, the slitter disk assembly will be lowered out of contact with thesheet by dropping the said slitter assembly by loosening the screws 48;and when sheets of half width are wanted, the slitter 28 will simply beraised into operative position to slit same along a central longitudinalline.

Means are also provided for locating the slitter or shifting sameaxially in order to slit the sheet accurately in the centre or otherdesired locations, the said means comprising a sleeve 55 having amanipulating knob 56 which is threadedly engaged on the shaft 41. Thesleeve 55 is exteriorly formed with a shoulder 57 and a reduced portion58 whereona thrust member 59 having lugs 61 bolted or fastened to aportion of the frame 26, is arranged. As best shown in Figure 3, thethrust member 59 has a countersunk portion as at which receives a collar62, the latter being secured to a reduced portion of the inner endof thesleeve 55. The said sleeve 55, mentioned above, is interiorly'threadedto receive a correspondingly threaded end 63 of the shaft 41, and isadapted to be locked or fixed to the thrust member 59 by a screw 64,after the shaft has been moved or adjusted longitudinally by the sleeve55 for a purpose appearing hereinafter.

The sleeve 38 has fastened thereto a gear 65 which meshes with anothergear 66 which is keyed to the hub of a sprocket 68 so that the gear 66and sprocket 68 freely rotate on the stud 67. The sprocket 68 is engagedby a power driven chain 69 arranged between guides 71, 72

- secured to the frame 26 and serving as the means for conveying thesheets from the printing cylinders to the delivery mechanism.Longitudinal movement of the sleeve 38 is prevented by a collar 73fastened thereon by a set screw 74, and by the gear 65 both of whichabut against adjacent portions of the bracket 39.

In Figures 4 and 5 only such parts of a conventional sheet grippingmechanism which forms a component part of the sheet conveyor mechanism24, are illustrated as will suffice to show their operative connectionto and coaction with the sheet slitting mechanism employed. The saidparts include a plurality of gripper bar assemblies indicated generallyat 75, these assemblies '75 being fastened to and traveling with thechain 69.

The sheet gripping mechanism, as indicated above, is of conventionaldesign and structure, the detailsof which apart from the combinationshown, form no part of the present invention. It may be pointed out,however, that the slitter disk 28 and the means for supporting andoperating same together with the arrangement of the cooperating slitterabutment, have been arranged whclly on one sidev of the sheet path andadapted to permitthe said slitter disk 28 to perform its functionswithout interfering with the normal operation of the sheet conveyingmechanism.

-The slitter assembly 27 referred to above includes the slitter disk 28and the member 47 supporting same, the said member 47 being adjustablerelatively to the movable bracket 43 in order to lower the slitter disk28 and its cooperating sheet guides out of operating position whendesired. I

It will be observed that the top of the slitter disk 28 is positionedbelow the path of the supports (not shown) for the gripper mechanism 75sufliciently to clear same, it being understood that the said slitterdisk is located between the pair of chains 69 arranged on either side ofthe frame, only one chain being shown fragmentarily in Figure 4. By thearrangement indicated the sheets'48 carried by the gripper mechanism 75may be slit by the disk 28 without the latter fouling any part of themechanism. y

The method and means above described, itwill be noted, slits a sheetwhile in transit from the printing mechanism 19 to the delivery pile ata point remote from the printing cylinders, and is particularly designedand adapted to prevent paper dust or clippings from getting into theprinting mechanism as was previously the case. In addition the: presentmethod and means is adapted to variably slit sheets while in transitorbeing conveyed to the delivery pile without the slightest retardationof the printing mechanism.

It will be readily understood that in actual operation, the depositionof the above-referred to paper dust or sediment on the printingcylinders will necessitate their frequent cleaning in order to insure aclean printed copy. The above-referred operating disadvantages attendanton the method heretofore employed of slitting sheets in proximity to theprinting cylinders is completely obviated by the method and meansdescribed herein which effects the slitting of the sheets at a pointquite remote from same. By dropping the slitting means out of operatingposition as described above, the sheets may be conveyed directly to thedelivery pile 25, while the slitting assembly may, if desired, beinspected.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in otherspecific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributesthereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment beconsidered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive,reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoingdescription to indicate the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a sheet fed printing machine having a conveyor delivery mechanism,a slitting device including a slitter and an abutment there-for arrangedto operate on a sheet being carried by the conveyor, and means wholly onone side of the sheet path to support the slitting device.

2. In combination with a sheet fed printing machine, having a conveyordelivery mechanism, said conveyor delivery mechanism being provided withsheet grippers, a slitting device arranged to operate on a sheet beingcarried by the conveyor, means to adjust said slitter for variablyslitting said sheet, and means positioned wholly on one side of a sheetbeing conveyed, for supporting the slitting device.

3. In a sheet fed printing machine having a conveyor delivery mechanismprovided with sheet grippers, a slitting device arranged to operate on asheet being carried by the conveyor, means located wholly below thesheet path and the delivery mechanism for supporting the said slittingdevice in operative and inoperative positions and means to adjust saidslitter while said conveyor delivery mechanism is functioning.

4. In a sheet fed printing machine having a conveyor delivery mechanismprovided with sheet grippers, a slitting device arranged to operate on asheet being carried by the conveyor and positioned wholly below themechanism and the path of the sheet, and extending within verticalplanes defining the width of the said sheet, and adjustable means toguide said sheet while being op-l erated on.

5. In a sheet fed printing machine having a conveyor delivery mechanism,a slitting device arranged to operate on a sheet being carried by theconveyor, and means including a cam actuated gripper assembly forming apart of the delivery mechanism for retaining a sheet in position foreffective slitting while being operated upon, said slitting device beingsupported wholly by means located substantially below the said sheetpath.

6. In a sheet fed printing machine having a conveyor delivery mechanismhaving sheet grippers, a slitting device arranged to operate on a sheetbeing carried on the conveyor, means located wholly at one side of themechanism and the sheet path for supporting the slitting device andmanually operable means for adjusting said slitter device so that sheetsmay be slit optionally along a line adjacent to and removed from thecentre.

7. In a sheet fed printing machine having a conveyor delivery mechanismand printing cylinders, a slitting device arranged to operate on a sheetat a point comparatively remote from said cylinders, said slittingdevice including a guide for sheets and means for slitting same, meanslocated wholly below the horizontal plane of said delivery mechanism andthe path of said sheet for supporting the slitting device, said slittingdevice being adjustable widthwise of the printing machine, and othermeans for rendering said means for slitting inoperative independently ofthe conveyor delivery mechanism.

8. In a sheet fed printing machine having a conveyor delivery mechanism,a frame supporting said delivery mechanism, a bracket adjustablysecured, and positioned substantially below the delivery mechanism, aslitting device adjustably mounted on said bracket, and means forrendering the slitting device inoperative independently of said conveyordelivery mechanism.

9. In combination with a sheet fed printing machine having sheetsupporting and conveying means, said means including chains and sheetgrippers fastened to the chains, a sheet slitting device connected tosaid frame and positioned wholly at one side of the said means, andother means for adjusting said slitting device in a plurality of planesfor variably slitting sheets,

10. In combination with a sheet fed printing machine having sheetsupporting means, printing means and a conveyor sheet deliverymechanism, a sheet slitting device connected to said frame and means foradjusting said slitting device vertically, and widthwise of the sheetpath, said device being arranged wholly below the horizontal plane ofthe sheet path and the delivery mechamsm.

11. In combination with a sheet fed printing machine having sheetguiding means, sheet conveying means, and printing cylinders, a sheetslitting device arranged to slit a sheet at a point remote from saidprinting cylinders while being conveyed by said sheet conveying means,and manually adjustable means for adjusting said slitting device invertical and horizontal planes, said slitting device being supported bymeans located wholly at one side of the said sheet while being conveyed.

12. The combination with a sheet fed printing machine having sheetsupporting means and sheet conveying means, of a slitting device havinga frame, a shaft longitudinally adjustable in the frame, a bracketfastened to said shaft, said bracket being movable in a horizontalplane, a member secured to the bracket, rotary sheet cutting meansturnably supported in the member, and other means for raising andlowering the member relatively to the bracket.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination with aframe, sheet supporting means and sheet conveying means of a sheet fedprinting machine; of a slitting device having a shaft longitudinallymovable and rotatably mounted in the frame, a bracket fastened to saidshaft, other means secured to the bracket, and a sheet cuttinginstrumentality adjustably secured to and rotatably supported on thesaid last mentioned means, said bracket and other means secured theretobeing located substantially below the plane of the said sheet conveyingmeans.

14. In a slitting mechanism for a sheet fed printing machine having aconveyor delivery with grippers engaging the front edge of the sheet, arotary cutter positioned on one side of'the path of a sheet in transitto the delivery, a cutter abutment cooperating with the cutter andpositioned on the opposite side of the sheet, and means secured at aposition on one side of the sheet to support the cutter and theabutment.

WILLIAM K. ECKHARD.

